


Don't Leave Me Alone

by soldiermom1973



Series: Tumblr prompts [3]
Category: Mass Effect
Genre: Angst, F/M, Horizon (Mass Effect), Mass Effect 2, Shenko - Freeform, prompt
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-07-16
Updated: 2016-07-16
Packaged: 2018-07-24 09:21:16
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 753
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7502856
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/soldiermom1973/pseuds/soldiermom1973
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A one-shot from a <a href="http://soldiermom1973.tumblr.com/post/147424564033/quote-writing-prompts">prompt</a> I got over on tumblr.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Don't Leave Me Alone

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Vorcha_Girl](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Vorcha_Girl/gifts).



> Before anyone yells at me for the way Kaidan is behaving, let me clarify something - Shenko is my OTP. I love Kaidan almost as much as I love my own children. Yes, he was a dick on Horizon, but I get it. I understand why. This story isn't meant to disrespect him in any way or to make my readers think I hate him. So please don't leave comments telling me that I'm a terrible person for writing him like this. I'm not a terrible person and I don't think for a second that Kaidan is, either. Having said that, I hope you like what I wrote.
> 
> As always, kudos, comments and [reblogs](http://soldiermom1973.tumblr.com/post/147496812858/quote-writing-meme-2-for-shenko-or-any-pairing) are always appreciated.

A cold chill started at the base of her spine and washed over her in an instant. She blinked rapidly, fighting the tears that were quickly forming and threatening to run down her face. The last thing she needed was for anyone she'd brought along to see how badly his words were affecting her. Grunt didn't need to see her tears and pain and think she was weak. Garrus had warned her this might happen, so she brought him along in the hopes that seeing a familiar face might help keep Kaidan's temper in check. She shook her head when she realized how miserably that had backfired. She couldn't hide the hurt from Kaidan, though, and she didn't try. Her training had taught her to withstand the physical pain that came with torture or battle injuries. She didn't know what to do with the agony that clamped across her chest, tearing her heart to pieces.

“I didn't betray you or the Alliance,” she finally whispered, fighting a wave of nausea. “I'm trying to save...”

“Stop. Just stop,” he growled. There was no mistaking the fury on his face. Anger wasn't all that was there, though. She thought she could see torment, too. Just a brief flicker, but she knew he was hurting, maybe as much as she was. She opened her mouth to try and say something, anything to try and make him see she wasn't the enemy, that she was still the same person he knew two years ago. The words just wouldn't come, though, and she hung her head.

“The Shepard I knew would have done everything possible to save these colonies without allying herself with Cerberus. The Shepard I knew would never have gone to them for help. She would have remembered all of the things they did – the distress beacon at the thresher maw nest on Edolus, how they murdered Admiral Kahoku and his men, Akuze, the things they did to Corporal Toombs. The Shepard I knew would NEVER have accepted help from someone like that,” he spat.

She couldn't keep the tears at bay any longer. She closed her eyes as they spilled down her cheeks. “So I was just supposed to stand by as the Council refused to help because it's human colonies? Because those colonies are in unsafe areas? I was just supposed to watch as the Alliance came up with excuse after excuse why they wouldn't do anything?” She turned her violet eyes up at him, praying he could see the sincerity on her face. “I don't want their help, but they're the only ones who seem willing to...”

Kaidan held his hands up. “Will you stop defending them already? Do you know what I think?” He stepped close enough to her that she could smell the carbon from his rifle and the ozone from his biotics and underneath all of that, the aftershave she loved. The pain in her chest doubled and she fought to keep her hands at her side instead of giving in to the desire to touch him.

“I think you think you owe them,” he said quietly. “I think maybe they might have messed with your head, making you believe they aren't the bad guy.”

Shepard pursed her lips and felt her face tighten as her heartache threatened to rip a sob from her throat.

Kaidan glanced at the people behind her – the krogan looked young but Kaidan could see he was just as fierce as Wrex had been. And Garrus. Seeing his former best friend standing with Shepard, siding with Cerberus only renewed his anger. “I have to go, report this to the Council. Maybe they'll believe your story.”

He turned to go and Shepard reached out, grabbing his arm. “Come with me Kaidan,” she pleaded. “It'll be like old times and you can see that I haven't changed.”

He turned and looked at her in disbelief. “I'll never join Cerberus. I can't believe you'd think I'd even consider it. I'm an Alliance soldier. I know where my loyalties lie.”

He started walking away again and she took a couple of steps after him. “Please... Don't leave me here. Don't leave me alone, without you.”

Her voice cracked and he paused, glancing over his shoulder. For a moment, Shepard's heart lifted, thinking he might come back. Instead, he straightened his shoulders and continued walking away. She watched his retreating figure until she felt a hand on her shoulder. “Come on, Shepard,” Garrus said quietly. “Let's get out of here.”


End file.
